Comarum

(an old Greek name). Rosaceae. One species allied to Poten-tilla, and often referred to that genus but differing in the lateral style unknown inPotentilla. C. palustre, Linn. (Potentilla palustris, Scop.), the marsh cinquefoil, is a decumbent herb growing in swales in the northern states (also in the Old World), with pinnate, 5-7-foliolate leaves (leaflets dentate), and solitary or cymose purple flowers 1/2in. across: petals shorter than the calyx-lobes, acute; stamens numerous. An odd and interesting but not showy plant, sometimes planted in bogs. Mn. 3:97. - The fruit somewhat resembles a strawberry, but is spongy instead of juicy. In some parts of Scotland, it is said to be called cowberry and is rubbed on the inside of milk-pails to thicken the milk. C. Salesovii, Bunge (Potentilla Salesoviana, Steph.), of the Himalayan rigion and Thibet, 11,000-14,000 ft. altitude, is a suffruticose silky-hairy plant worthy of cultivation, but little known in gardens: leaves pinnate; leaflets 7-9, oblong, obtuse, crenate-serrate: flowers white, in an ample paniculate cyme.